A quarterly journal covering recipes, craft, printmaking and fabric designs .. sharing musings from my everyday life in the treetops of Clareville on Sydney’s northern beaches
My grandfather (Papa) always had his meals at the same time every day and morning and afternoon tea were always the same combination. A mug of coffee and two of "Papas Biscuits".This recipe is a wonderful biscuit basic. You can add any filling or flavour to fancy it up a bit. I enjoy dividing the final mixture into three parts to create three different flavour variations.
Read MoreGrowing up Mum had a large cast iron cauldron that she made her jam in – strawberry, fig or marmalade, volumes of it, bottled and labeled and given away to everyone who walked in the door. And her scones were famous not the least because they were delicious with her home made jam and King Island cream but because of the conversations and company that accompanied them.Everyone was welcome in our home no matter what age, region, or culture.Mum passed away last week and I share her classic scone (biscuit) recipe in her honour.
Read MoreThis industrial style lamp base in constructed using copper piping and fittings from a plumbing supply company. It is inspired by the mathematical woodcuts of Escher and it challenged me in so many ways. You need a little patience so it's great for a raining day. Construction plan and cutting details included.
Read MoreWire coat hangers are one of those things, like odd socks, that multiply in your wardrobe surreptitiously over time. This is a great use for at least one of them!It's a 30 minutes exercise and delivers an instant Christmas wreath... simple and easy for kids to make too.You can tie the greenery or flowers to the wire or just twist it round and around, depending on how soft and bendy the flowers stalks are. It's also a wonderful way to used fresh picked herbs which are soft enough twist around and add a lovely fragrance to the room.And at the end of the post you'll find a Found Feather Wreath which is also just as quick and easy if you already have a feather collection.
Read MoreMade with healthy chickpea flour and lightly fried in good olive oil ... what's not to love about these salty nibbles?At first glance, "Panelle" as they are called in Sicily, look a little bit like fat corn chips but these delicious puffy morsels are a revelation. They have a nourishing nutty taste and the flavour of olive oil without any greasiness.Watching Fabrizia Lanza prepare this dish in the kitchen of Case Vecchie was a study in wonder. We watched, with our cameras and notebooks poised and, as each step unfolded, we were no closer to imaging the last.The result served to us with a traditional Aperol Spritz in the courtyard of the old stone house, the late afternoon light receding over the hills. We could not stop eating them.
Read MoreIn Australia we call fava beans, in their distinctive large green spongy pods, broad beans. I always felt they were too much work until I tasted the authentic flavours of Sicily in Fabrizia Lanza's fava bean soup ... with an egg dropped in the middle and dusted with fresh parmigiana. I think you could taste the green goodness. And when I returned I waited to see them appear so I could bring some of that sicilian summer feeling into my Clareville kitchen.Here I have used them simply ... tossed into a raw zucchini salad and dropped into tomatoe and goats cheese tarts .. perfect for summer picnics.
Read MoreI have such strong memory of mum inviting the "ladies" over for afternoon tea. Beautifully dressed women with powdered faces and smooth lipstick pressed on cheeks as they said hello. The strong smell of perfume, each with their own, creating a heady mix of scent in the dining room. A medley of fine china cups and saucers patiently waiting on the linen covered dining table. These are two of mums classic afternoon tea recipes; Date Cake and Shortbread Pecan Balls. They're very easy to make .. even easier if you use a kitchen wizz.
Read MoreSicily may seem a strange destination for someone who had been slowly transitioning away from wheat, pasta and dairy but there is undoubtedly a romance in the idea of living and learning in this simple rustic way and understanding the authentic roots of Sicilian cooking and farming and the wonder of bounty of their kitchen garden … tall artichokes, rows of fava beans hanging waiting to be picked, spinach, rainbow chard, tomatoes, olives, almonds, wild greens and honey. And it more than delivered.Join me on my pilgrimage to the Anna Tasca Lanza Cooking School in Sicily with this recipe for a delicious Almond and Olive Oil Torte, "Torta di Mandorie e Olio d'Oliva"
Read MoreA vintage linen runner, simply stitched, which I recently purchased from Faded Emporium inspired this design for an "easy-as" DIY version.Just stitch together linen tea towels and voila! For instance, for a French country look you might like striped red and white linen or for a more Australian look just the raw linen perhaps with a faint little stripe.(as they are already hemmed you don't even need to own a sewing machine!)
Read MoreThis recipe for Yammy Drops (yummy and jammy) is really a healthier version of the old fashioned jam drop. But don't expect the same shortbread consistency, these are chock full of nutty flavours drawn from the sunflower seeds, tahini and almond meal and sweetened with maple syrup .. (the jam in the middle is a real treat). They're great for school lunch boxes or to satisfy that 3pm low point when you're normally seeking out chocolate!!
Read MoreA walnut grower selling from a stall in a Canberra market last Saturday shared with me the "best ever" tip for opening walnuts in the shell. No more nut crackers needed when you follow these simple steps.And to celebrate the joy of walnuts we have a recipe for Fresh Apple and Walnut Clusters ... too chunky and full of apple, walnuts and raisins to be called a muffin !
Read MoreFollowing on from our focus to transition slowly (the 20% rule) to healthier alternatives for the traditional ingredients we love ... Here is a pastry-free crust for quiches or savoury tarts that really works a treat. You can prepare this sweet potato crust in the pie dish or tin and freeze it so you always have it on hand when you need a quick and tasty lunch or dinner. Especially good when you're wanting the whole family to eat just a little bit healthier. Enjoy!
Read MoreLast year I had the joy of a experiencing a real slow living creative retreat in the hinterland of Byron Bay organised by an incredible team from Australia and abroad. This Local Milk Retreat was a mindfully created and curated 3 days photographic, styling, cooking and collaborative experience which provided the opportunity and luxury of slowing down and reconnecting with your creative passions.It was such a treat to take time out to inhale the minutia of moments, the dappled light on a window, the texture of plate and linen, the color of fresh picked produce, the alchemy of a well crafted meal ... in order to "speed up" your craftsmanship.A highlight for me was learning branch weaving with Rebekah Seale from The Camellia Fiber Company in Tennessee. Follow the instructions and create your own.
Read MoreIt's often the case that when come away from a retreat, a seminar or a book you are fired up to make major changes to our life. We approach the pantry and the fridge with evangelical zeal throwing out the bad food, restocking with new ingredients you've never used before. You then announce to the family the new regime only to find they are resentful, the change is confronting and ultimately we retreat feeling like a failure.Take a tip from the ancient philosophy of Ayurveda: The 25% rule - the secret to making changes to your lifestyle that “stick” and try this simple Ayurvedic recipe for the perfect rice and learn about "the 6 Tastes" to make every meal satisfying and nourishing.
Read MoreOur diets have changed a bit since the 1950's and one thing that strikes you is how much refined white sugar there is in these recipes. So I've begun to tweak the recipes and transition them to healthy versions of the ingredient. It's not a full abandonment of the original ingredients so there's not a big change in the chemistry or experience of the final cake or slice or dessert.Here is a delicious, chewy and easy-to-make Canadian Walnut Slice. Perfect for a cup of tea. It's just a transition recipe so we gradually get used to a warmer kind of sweetness not so sharp and we replace the grains with one that's a little better for our digestion.
Read MoreIt's a big thing to move house, especially when you've been in the one place for a while. There are phases you go through as you move through the packing and moving process and there are levels you move through too, depending on how organized and energized you (or your friends) are.It's always a mystery to me that that there's always a bottom draw with crappy little things in it that you can't throw away and that don't really belong anywhere. And in that draw there always seems to be a single earring or two. That's because earrings are one of the most fiddly bits of jewellery to display. So here's my "easy-as" DIY solution to this problem, a Boho Earring Hanger.
Read MoreAlmond meal is easy to make and a great alternative to soy or dairy milk. Once you've made your jug of sweet almond milk there's a delicious and healthy recipe, "No Pastry ... Pear and Almond Meal Tart", to use up the almond meal left over from the process. You can also use the left over almond meal to thicken soups and casseroles.
Read MoreI hate to see things go to waste so a leftover hessian bag and hessian webbing inspired me to make a much needed cushion for my new Moroccan day bed that could double as a floor cushion if more people came around.
Read MoreThese delicious Moroccan-inspired nibbles are my new go-to distraction strategy for early arriving guests or to keep everyone occupied while you get the finishing touches to the rest of the meal. Perfect for the entertaining season. Easy to prepare beforehand and it won't ruin their appetite.
Read MoreA few years ago my family began this crazy tradition of fancy dress for Christmas lunch and it worked a treat. After all it's hard to argue with someone dressed as a pirate! Of course I go a little "all out" and create movie-poster style invites, theme up the table decoration and yes the music too. Our family christmas photos are a real (embarrassment) hoot.
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